Safety-vent for tank-cars.



W. SHARP.

SAFETY VENT FOR TANK CABS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 190k.

3 m M iv 5 2% us n M B d3 2 t n 6 t a P "n11 llll Zdfraeaaafir W. E. SHARP.

SAFETY VENT FOR TANK CARS.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 16, 1909.

Patented Marl 25, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. 506 amm 5. 4 m

cage, in the ot the. car, the liquid, b oa i to reverse ts (lll'qdtlUIF-Dl; travel so many UNITED STATES PATEN IS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF WILLIAM E. SHARP, OF CHICAGO, ILLINO ROBBINS, 0F HINSDALE, ILLINOIS.

5AFETY-VEN T FQR TAN K-CARS.

2'0 alt whom it that I, lVIL lLIAM E.

Be it known H bHARP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicounty of Cook and State of have invented certain llinois in Safety- Vents for Tankful Improvements Cars, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to vents or safety appliances, especially, though not exclusively, adapted for employment in connection with i'ailwaytank cars carrying oil, volatile and inflammable liquids or the like, one aim and object of the invention being the provision of general character which,

ing of the ear.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the appliance has a substantially-central hollow. threaded neck adapted for connection with the dome of the tank, and will,

theretore, when applied to the car, he in hollow head open to the atmosphere at one side and provided witha passage communicating with such neck, a liquid seal, and a plurality of bafiles or deflectors. Owing to the peculiar construction of this device, when the oil or other liquid surges up the hollowneck due to the sudden stopping or starting use it would have In the illustrated invention, and throughout of the same like reference cl the same parts. In these drawings-Figiire l is a side elel v new and use-.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 16, 1909. Serial No. 502,595.

T OFFICE.

TO GEORGE E.

Patented Mar. 25, 1913.

vation of my improved safety vent applied to the dome of the'tank; F i vertical section through the being viewed in th the a section on line of rroWs Fig. 4

c direction indicated by is a section on line H g. 2 s a central appliance' Fig. Fig. 2, the parts of Fig. 2 as the parts are viewed in the direction shown section on the Fig. 6 is a liori Fig.

of Fig 2 by th broken line 2; and Fig. 7

cast stantially-oentral hollow nec teriia lly to the vent opening of the t to such neck is an 12, tl

stantially-horizontal bottom extending zontal section on line 66 of is a section on line 7-7 lugs,

16 structure also e arrows Fig. 5 is a 55 of Fig. 2;

it may be noted in a single unikor pipe 10',

screw-threaded at 11 for application ank dome.

the neck and connecting the outer curved spaced outwardly therefrom to curved mouth 16 clearly shown in 17 of this overhanging part otthe dome is below the top edge 14 of thepipe or hollow neck. hollo it. b Fig. 2, that gas provide a.

eing understood, as is the bottom edge The other side or half of the pipe or w neck,

closed by the dome.

Extended transver connecting wall 13 bet\ "he edges of the teen the or head and the pipe or me outer of two parts 18, the other parts liquid seal or pocket around one-half of the wall and which, in c of the neck at 18.

The dome 15, as is cleai space the head with neck 19.

a mouth opposite the bottom w The mouth 21, shown as is indicated in sely of the structure and neck is a partition composed Fig. 2, is

floor or bottom outer wall of the casting ck 10 with such onjunction with structure, forms a approximately 'ly indicated, l

go 20 communicating at the bottom of 21 on the side of the all 13 or pocket in Figs. 2, 5, 6 110 and 7, is of substantially semicylindrical shape as indicated. Extending upwardly and outwardly from the dome 15, and reaching from one outer side wall of the head to the other, the safety vent is supplied with a bafiie 0r deflector 22, upwardly curved somewhat, as indicated in Fig. 2, toward that portion of the head or hood supplied with the pocket 19. This battle at the two sides of thecdome extends downwardly at 23 to the bottom edge of the latter, the two lower margins of such bafile being connected to the top edges of the divided partition 18 by horizontal connecting walls 24 which prevent the liquid from flowing out of the pocket 19 over the top edges of the partition to the curved discharge mouth 21. Above the pocket 19 in'the upper angle of the hollow head this hood or cowl-like structure is supplied with an inclined battle 25 projecting inwardly toward the dome 15 and forming between itself and one wall of the head an upper pocket or recess 26. In the mouth 21 the exterior surface of the neck or pipe 10 has a downwardly-inclined flange or rib 27 extending around the pipe. or neck between the two parts of the partition 18 and acting as a dust and cinder deflector to prevent the entrance of foreign substances through the 'vent to the tank. I

The operation of a structure of this kind when applied to a tank car is substantially as follows: In the first place, it maintains connection between the interior of the tank and the external atmosphere through a batiied' passage having three bends in addition to those formed by the battles themselves, the first of which 18 over the top edge 14 of the neck 10, the second being around the bottom edge 17 of the dome 15, and the third being that around the dome itself down to the mouth 21. In order that the oil or other liquid of the tank might escape through this vent it is necessary for the same to rise above the top edge of the battle 22. It will be observed that in following this course the liquid at. first flows vertically downward, then vertically upward, and finally downward again. In other lwords, the liquid is compelled to double back upon itself three times before it can escape from the mouth 21. If the tank car is suddenly started or stopped so as to occasion a violent surging or rise of the liquid in the hollow neck or pipe 10, the liquid can not escape through this vent without first hompletrly reversing its direction three times, as above pointed out, and the time consumed in its attempt to do this is sufficient to permit the wave or upward flow to cease or subside sufficiently so that; the liquid prevented from. flowing over the battle Under ordinary circumstanws the pocket. or seal 19 would be filled with liquid up to the edge 14: of the neck. It the liquid splashes up I l l' hereas l.

the pipe it strikes the dome and is either deflected back into the pipe or over into the pocket 19 from which it may flow back into the pipe over the edge 1 1. If, however, the

splashing or slopping is violent so that the liquid not only reaches the pocket 19 buttravels upwardly therefrom, itwill enter-- the pocket 26 and be detlected downwardlyagain on to the dome by the inclined bali'le 25, which, as will be readily ,understood,

assists in preventing the escape of any of the liquid over the battle 22, If, on the other hand, any of this moving liquid should rise and engage the concave side of batlle 22, the

latterwould direct the same to the top wall of the hood and on to the other side of the inclined battle or deflector 25, again bringing the liquid down on to the dome, from which it would flow back into the pocket'19, and provided such pocket is filled the liquid will flow over the edge l t-back into thetank.

The deflector 27, as will be readily understood, turns downwardly any Cinders, dirt, or the like striking the outer surface of the neck 10 and tending to follow the same upwardly into the vent. If, however, any

20, they will in their movement strike the deflector 22, which will assist in preventing their entrance into the pocket 19 or the tank proper.

have herein illustrated and described in detail one particular embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible of a variety of embodiments. and that the structural features of the device herein set forth may be modified within wide limits without do- 'such particles do enter the curved passage parture from the substance of the'inven tion, and without the'sacrifice of any substantial benefits and advantages. in this particular construction the part of the head having mouth 21 is substantially semi-cylindrical in conformation, while theother portion of the head is of more rectangular formation, but of course these are features which may be changed to a considerable extent without materially affecting the opera! tion of the vent. In addition it is desirable,

for the sake of economy in 1net.al,to make the cross-section of the bent baflled passage substantially equal to that of the hollow neck or pipe. In cases where a vent of this character used in coi'mection with a tank filled with a volatile or i'nfiannnable liquid or oil, such vent may be used as a safety valve to relieve the internal pressure by filling the seal pocketltl with a heavy oil or composition of greases insoluble in the liquid carried in' the tank whereby evaporation of the contents of the tank is prevented. Such a composition would be employed that would be solid at ordinary temperatures and melt or become liquid at a slightly higher temperature, for example 212 Fahrenheit. If,

Y a hooddike structure having passage, substantially therefore, the tank becomes heated or its contents take fire the composition is melted of the tank to escape pocket with a low fusible metal which performsubstantially the same func-i and mouth and extending from the former first downwardly, then upwardly, and again downwardly to said mouth, substantially as described.

2. A safety vent for tank cars comprising a hollow neck adapted to be mounted in communication with a' vent opening, said structure having a mouth open to the atmosphere and a tubular passage connecting said hollow neck and mouth and supplied with a plurality of bends, each of which direction'of flow through said vent, substantially as described.

safety vent for tank cars comprising a hood-like structure having a hollow neck adapted to be mounted in communication with a vent opening, said structure having a mouth open to the atmosphere and a tubular passage connecting said hollow neck and mouth and having three flow reversing bends, substantially as described.

4-. A safety a hood-like structure having a hollow neck adapted to be mounted in communication with a vent opening, said structure having a mouth open to-thc atmosphere and a tuular passage connecting said hollow neck and mouth and formed with three flow reversing bends between the same, the structure also having one or more bafiies' i said as described.

5. A safety vent for tank cars having a hollow neck adapted to be mounted in communication with .a vent opening, an enlarged hollow head over the top ofsaid neck, a head bottom wall extending part wa'y around said neck and connecting the latter below its top end to a part of the side walls of said head, a leading from one side. of the neck and con necting the inner face of the head side walls with said bottom wall, thereby forming a pocket extending part way around said neck, a dome over the open top end of said neck and spaced inwardly away'from the outer walls of said hollow head, the wall of completely reverses the vent for tank ears com irisin said neck closing the sa transverse partition said dome on the same side of said neck as said bottom wall being passage between the head outer walls and said dome having communication with the atmospher on the side of the neck opposite i said bottom wall, substantially as deseribed safety vent for tankcars hollow neck adapted hollow head over the top of said neck, a head bottom wall extending neck and connecting'the latter below its top end to a part of the side walls of a transverse partition leading from one side of the neck and connecting the inner face of the head side walls with said bottom wall,

thereby forming with the other pales of the structure a pocket extending part way outwardly away from its lower edge below neck, the space between the head outer walls and said dome having communication with of said head, from one side of the L the inner face of the head side walls with said bottom wall, thereby forming with such parts a pocket extending part way around said neck, a dome over'the top open'end of me on one side and spaced away from the outer walls of said hgllow same side of said neck being spaced outwardly edge below the top and having its lower edge of said neck, the passage between the head outer walls and said dome having communication with the atmosphere on the side of the neck opposite said bottom.wall, the

as said bottom wall away from the neck extended baffle-plate to deflect downwardly on to the dome out of the device, substantially as described,

8. A safety vent for tank cars having a hollowneck adapted to be mounted in 001 munication with a vent opening, an enlarged hollow head over the top of said neck, 21

having 9...; to be, mounted in com- 7 munication with a vent opening, an enlarged said head, 8

head, the wall of saidvdorne on the l having an inwardlyany liquid tending to splash part way around said said neck, I

and connecting around said neck and connecting the latter hollow neck adapted to be mounted in communication with a vent opening, an enlarged head bottom wall extending part way below its top end to a part of the side walls of said head, a transverse partition connecting the neck, the head side walls, and said bottom wall and forming with these parts a pocket extending part way around said neck, a dome over the top end of and-closing one side of said neck and spaced away from the outer walls of said hollow head, the wall of said dome on the same side of said neck as said bottom wall being spaced outwardly away from the neck and having its lower edge below the top edge of said neck, the passage between the head outer walls and said dome having communication with the atmosphere on the side of the neck opposite said bottom wall, said structure having a transverse bafiie extended over the dome and a baffle inclined toward said dome and extended inwardly from the outer wall of said hollow head, substantially as described.

9. Ajsafety vent for .tank cars having a hpllow head over the top of said 'neck, a hef m bottom wall extending part way aroil nd said bel ow It S top end to a part of the side walls of.sa1$head, an upright transverse partition said bottom wall and forming therewith a pocket extending part way around the neck,

one side of said neck and spaced away from the outer walls of said hollow head, the

neck as said bottom wall being spaced 'out wardly away from the neck and having its v I neck and connecting the latter;

connecting the neck, the head side walls, and

a dome over the top open end of and closing wall of said dome on the same side of said lower edge below the top edge of said neck,

the passage between the head outer walls and said dome having communication with the atmosphere on the side of the neck oppo site said bottom wall, a baflle extending over said dome and connecting opposite side walls of said head, said bathe being connect ed by walls with said partition to prevent flow of the liquid directly over the latter, substantially as described.

' 10. A safety vent for tank cars consisting of a hood having a hollow neck adapted to be mounted in communication with a vent opening, said hood having a mouth open to the atmosphere and atubular passage 'connecting said neck and mouth, said passage having a sealpocket, substantially as described.

11. A safety vent for tank cars consisting of a hood having a hollow neck adapted to be mounted in communication with a vent,

opening, said hood having a mouth open to the atmosphere and a tubular passage connecting said neck and mouth and equipped with means to prevent evaporation of the contents of the tank, substantially as described.

12. A safety vent for tank cars consisting of a hood having a hollow neck adapted to be mounted in communication witha vent opening, said hood having a mouth open to the atmosphere and a passage Connecting said neck and month, said passage having a seal pocket filled with a material solid at normal temperature, insoluble in the liqui carried in the tank, and of low meltin point, substantially as described.

WILLIAM E. SHARP.

Witnesses WALTER M. FULLER, ALLEN W. Moon. 

